RN First Assist Surgery

Dignity Health; Glendale (CA); On-site; USD 78,523 - 117,096; Full time

Job summary

Dignity Health – Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center is seeking a Surgical First Assist RN to support perioperative care across age groups, acting as an RN First Assistant during operative and invasive procedures. You will assess patients, assist with tissue dissection and closure, and provide postoperative follow-up to ensure safe outcomes.

You will collaborate with the surgical team, maintain precise documentation, and manage instruments to prevent infections.

Qualifications

• 5 years of perioperative nursing practice as both scrub and circulating nurse.
• Current and active California RN license.
• American Heart Association Basic Life Support / Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification.

Responsibilities

• Provides a safe therapeutic core by collaborating with the surgeons and health care team in performing a safe operation with optimal outcomes for the patient.
• Preoperative nursing and must have acquired the necessary knowledge, skills and judgment specific to clinical practice.
• Collects and interprets complex assessment data, recognizes subtle changes in the patient.
• Formulates an individualized plan of care for the patient with complex needs to achieve desired outcomes.
• Shares data with team and supports team with the surgeon and helps set up for correct procedures.
• Makes clinical decisions based on experience and data, promoting clinical decision making.
• Advocates patient rights and serves as a resource to resolve issues.
• Acts as team leader coordinating care and processes.
• Collaborates with health care team and other disciplines to meet outcomes.
• Communicates effectively and improves communication among team members, patients, and families.
• Delegates patient care activities to other health care team members and redirects unit activities as needed.
• Active participation as a CVOR team member and in CVOR committees to implement practice initiatives.
• Capable of performing in the Charge Nurse role coordinating staff and surgery schedule.
• Able to fill in staff schedule and assist with lunches and breaks.
• Participates in quality improvement, identifying areas for care improvements.

Education

RFNA program for RN First Assistant

Job description

Job Summary And Responsibilities

As our Surgical First Assist RN, you will help surgical patients across all age populations receive safe, effective, and quality patient-family centered care in the OR and other areas of perioperative services so they can achieve optimal surgical outcomes and a smooth recovery throughout the perioperative continuum. Every day you will function as an RN First Assistant during operative and invasive procedures, including assessing patients, assisting with tissue dissection and closure, and providing postoperative follow-up. You will be expected to collaborate closely with the surgical team, maintain precise documentation, and ensure patient safety through careful management of instruments and prevention of surgical site infections. To be successful in this role you must be committed to the delivery of safe, effective, and quality patient-family centered care for all patient populations. This requires a strong working knowledge of performance improvement, licensure, and accreditation requirements, along with active participation in fulfilling the Mission of the Organization and consistent demonstration of its Core Values. You will also possess excellent communication and organizational skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office, Outlook, and Internet, and demonstrate a strong capacity for teaching, planning, and development to support the Organization's strategic plan and performance improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Provides a safe therapeutic core by collaborating with the surgeons and health care team in performing a safe operation with optimal outcomes for the patient.
• Preoperative nursing and must have acquired the necessary knowledge, skills and judgment specific to clinical practice.
• Collects and interprets complex assessment data, recognizes subtle changes in the patient.
• Formulates an individualized plan of care for the patient with complex needs to achieve desired outcomes.
• Shares data with team and supports team with the surgeon. Gets procedure questions asked and helps to set up for correct procedures.
• Makes clinical decisions based on experience, patient population data, and intuition, promotes development of clinical decision making of all team members.
• Advocates patient rights from the patient/family perspective: provides counsel and acts as a resource to resolve issues.
• Provides validation of clinical decision for other staff members, seeks validation from others for complex patients or unfamiliar situations.
• Acts as a team leader in coordinating the care of the patient, and the team process.
• Collaborates with the health care team and other disciplines to meet desired outcomes.
• Communicates effectively and works cooperatively with others, respects and understands other clinical disciplines; uses an integrated approach toward patient outcomes; demonstrates effective communication skills and seeks opportunities to improve communication among health care team members, patients, and families.
• Delegates patient care activities to other health care team members and redirects unit activities as patient acuity and census changes.
• Actively participates as a member of the CVOR team and CVOR committees, works to implement practice initiatives in a positive and productive manner.
• Capable of performing in the Charge Nurse role by coordinating staff and surgery schedule and handling day‑to‑day issues with positive outcomes.
• Able to fill in as needed on the staffing schedule; helps with lunches and breaks.
• Acts as team leader or participant in the quality improvement process, actively identifies areas and explores alternatives to care or practice; recommends revisions to standards or cost initiatives as needed.

Job Requirements

• 5 years of perioperative nursing practice as both a scrub and circulating nurse upon hire.
• If less years of experience, 3 recommendations from practicing surgeons and demonstrated clinical practice.
• Successful completion of an RFNA program that meets Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) recommended education standards for RN First Assistant programs.
• Current and active registered nurse, California.
• American Heart Association Basic Life Support / Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s of Nursing; 2,000 hours of RNFA practice, upon hire.
• Experience with endovenous harvesting, radial artery harvesting, or saphenous vein harvesting.
• Experience supporting multiple surgical specialties based on department and patient care needs.
• Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant upon hire.

Application Notes

We are not currently accepting new graduate or new‑to‑specialty applications. Our next posting period will be July 1 2026 for an October 16 2026 start date. Positions can be found under National Resident RN (<12 months experience as an RN) or RN Transition/Fellowship (>12 months experience as an RN).

Employment Conditions

This position is represented by the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) and is covered by the terms and conditions of the applicable collective bargaining agreement.

Where You'll Work

Dignity Health – Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center is a 334‑bed, acute‑care, nonprofit hospital serving over 70,000 patients annually. The hospital offers a full complement of services, including a Level III NICU, heart care, wound care, and surgical services.

Pay Range

$57.25 – $85.16 per hour.